Living on a Prayer
by Wendymypooh
Summary: On her 80th birthday, Louise McCloud Kiddrickson reflects on the long life she has lived, and on her extended PX family members.


Livin' on a Prayer

Once Upon a Time

Not so long ago

Louise McCloud Kidrickson stroked the frame of the dusty tintype holding a picture of her and Kid at their wedding with a gnarled finger. Marrying Kid had been one of the happiest days of her life. The two of them experienced a lot of obstacles in their relationship, before they finally married. During the time that they were apart, Lou learned that she was pregnant. Instead of telling him about the baby they made together, she kept it a secret, and subsequently lost it. It was during the time that she was recuperating from the miscarriage that they found their way back to each other.

Their reunion was almost torn apart for good, when the brother of Kid's first lover arrived in Rock Creek with an infant girl in his arms who he claimed was Kid's. Lou didn't know who had been more surprised at this latest turn of events, her or Kid. One look into Katerina Odella's cherubic face had been enough for them both to know the sweet little girl was indeed Kid's. She had his cerulean blue eyes.

There were some tough decisions to make that first night after Katrina was left with them. It wasn't as if she didn't know about Odella. When they first started getting serious, Kid told her about Odella and the fact that he and the young widow consummated their love for one another. It took place in the summer of the same year they all signed up for the Pony Express. Neither of them expected the complication of a baby they were suddenly asked to care for.

Katerina quickly won her over though, and their plans to spend the rest of their lives together were cemented. Looking back now, Lou couldn't even contemplate not having Katrina in their lives. Their eldest daughter was a beautiful person inside and out, and Lou loved her equally as much as she loved the rest of their children.

Having Katie, as she was called by family and close friends, to love and care for during the long period of times she and Kid were separated from each other after he joined up with the Confederate Army, was a blessing to Lou; especially after she lost another child shortly after they arrived in Virginia.

Those four years were filled with anxiousness and longing, heartache and joy, anger and tenderness, emptiness and fulfillment. Lou was finally able to carry a baby to full term in the second year of the Civil War, and it was a glorious day when Kid's boy arrived safe and sound. Jeremiah Lewis Kidrickson was the spitting image of his daddy, with chestnut curls, dimpled mouth, and cerulean blue eyes.

In the following years, they were blessed with two more daughters, and three more sons. Their children were what got them through the difficult times. Jimmy's murder had practically been their undoing. She wanted to seek revenge against the man who had taken their dearest friend away from them. Although Kid had shared the same thoughts at the time, he knew that killing Jack McCall wouldn't accomplish anything. No matter what they did, nothing was going to bring Jimmy back, and finally he managed to convince Lou of that.

Rachel's death from pneumonia at such an early age surprised them all. It didn't surprise anyone when Teaspoon died a short year after his precious wife died. The PX family had buried them next to one another. Sariah Hunter Alden was grateful to them for all of their support during the trying time after both of her parents passed. Lou drew Sariah under her wing, realizing just how bereft Sariah was at losing her two parents so close together.

Lou knew how Teaspoon felt after Rachel was taken from him. Her own sweet Kid succumbed to a fever only last winter, and it took all of the willpower she could muster, to go on with life without him. Her daughters began to hover ever closer to her, fearing that she would follow after their father. Although Lou understood their reasoning behind it, she snapped one day and told them if they didn't stop smothering her she was going to pack a valise and head out on her own somewhere.

Tears and admissions followed shortly afterwards her outbursts. After they had cleared the air between them, things were better between Lou and her children. Although her daughters tended to check on her more often than before their father's death, they respected her wishes, and never hovered over her again.

Today was her 80th birthday. Lou didn't feel much older than she had when she stood with Kid in their wedding finery and had the tintype taken. Although a lot of time passed since that wonderful day when they were joined in marriage, Louise felt as if it all happened only yesterday.


End file.
